Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~082931
The invention relates to a method of operating a combustinn
engine with a charge of combustion gases, said charging being
delivered to said engine by a combustion gas supplying apparatus
external of said combustion engine and also relates to an exter-
nal combustion engine for carrying out this method.
With the usual combustion engines,rather high degree of
compression is needed to obtain a sufficiently high efficiency.
This high degree of compression limits the possibility of in-
creasing the charge by supplying heat. Thus, a narrow stretched
ribbon-shaped P/V diagram is obtained. With the usual combustion
engines, the highest possible combustion temperatures are neces-
sary to obtain a sufficiently great charge, as the average effec-
tive piston pressure is dependent thereon. In consequence of said
high combustion temperatures, these combustion engines are sub-
jected to high thermal loads and a great cooling loss occurs.
For obtaining good volumetric efficiency, use is often made o~
preliminary supercharging. This, however, leads to a very great
rise in compressidn pressure in favour of a relatively small rise
of the average effective piston pressure, whereas this rise in
compression hardly has a favourable influence on the efficiency of
combustion engines.
The object of the present invention is to avoid said draw-
backs and to operate a combustion engine in such a way that the
efficiency can bekept at a favourable level.
This is obtained by the method according to the invention in
that said charge has a constant pressure, a constant working tem-
perature and a constant charging period over the normal range of
of the engine output, while the temperature and the pressure of
high pressure supercharged air delivered to the engine at the
beginning of the compression part of the engine cycle over said
normal range of said engine output being lowered with increas-
ing engine load so that the theoretical thermal efficiency of the
engine is substantially maintained at a predetermined level in-
dependently of the engine load this being achieved by cooling
the supercharged air before entering the compression part of the
engine cycle to a level appropriate to the re~uired engine out-
put, a sensing element being provided for this purpose which
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compensates for the change in the working pressure or working
temperature according to any change in engine output in such a
way that over said normal range of engine output the working
temperature, the working pressure and the charging period of
combustion gases are maintained constant, the power regulation
being controlled by regulating the fuel supply to said combustion
gas supplying apparatus, and such that the compression curve
automatically varies according to the intensity of said cooling.
The term "constant charging period" used hereinbefore refers
to the charging of the engine during a fixed portion of its cycle,
whilst the term l'internal thermal efficiency" refers to the
theoretical efficiency nth of the engine based on the percentage
of heat that is theoretically converted by the engine into work,
this not taking into account any heat losses in the engine such
as due to radiation of heat and friction losses.
Thus, dependent on the chosen supercharging pressure, regulat-
ion of the power of the combustion engine can be obtained, from
running without load to running under a light load, the cooling
installation being entirely out of operation until a power level
is reached, dependent on the predetermined compression pressure.
By increasing the fuel supply above the fuel supply within
the predetermined normal range of engine output the sensitive
element -- after having made the inter cooling maximum -- may
control the charging period in a variable way according to the
increased fuel supply so that the average working pressure and
working temperature can be exeeded temporarily and dependent on
the measurements.
According to the invention the flow of said air by the super-
ch~arger may be regulated in such a way, that at full-heat-
charging of the engine, the exhaust gas intake into the super-
charger continuous just sufficient to attain the pressure of
the outside air.
According to the invention the combustion engine for carrying
out the method according to the invention, which comprises an
external situated combustion gases supplying apparatus, said ap-
paratus having inléts for the combustion air and for the fuel,
an ignition device for the fuel and an outlet for the fresh air
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for the combustion gas to the combustion engine, a supercharger
to precompress the combustion air being provided which is con-
nected via a cooling device to the inlet for the fresh air for
the combustion engine and is provided with an inlet and an outlet
for a cooling medium is characterized in that a sensing element
is provided which!detects pressure or temperature changes in the
combustion gases, by which said sensing element actuates a
cooling intensity controlling means disposed in the cooling me-
dium inlet of the cooling device whereby the air precompressed by
the supercharger and supplied to the combustion apparatus is cool-
ed such that after compression in the combustion engine to the
combustion volume is obtained that relates to the volume of
the constant charging period in a ratio needed to attain the
demanded output of the engine.
According to the invention said sensing element may comprise
a casing which is connected to the combustion gas supplying appa-
ratus by a pipe, a spring-biassed plunger being arranged in said
housing, said plunger having a cam or collar at both its ends
and extending through an aperture-in said casing, said plunger
having a rod operating the cooling air controlling means.
A favourable embodiment of the sensing element according
to the invention is characterized in that said sensing element
consists of a manometer connected to the combustion device, said
manometer co-operating with two contacts, each of which is ar-
ranged in an electric circuit connected to a servomotor which
operates the cooling air controlling means.
According to the invention a further contact may be provided
atboth sides of the first mentioned contacts of the manometer,
each of said further contacts being arranged in an electric
circuit connected to the servomotor which operates the cam shaft
controlling means. One of said contacts controls the charging
period according to an increased fuel supply while the other
of said contacts controls the charging period according to a
decreased fuel supply.
According to the invention the combustion engine may be
provide with a thermostat in the combustion gas supplying appa-
ratus, said thermostat influencing the fuel supply to the com-
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bustion gas supplying apparatus in such a way that only sufficient
fuel can be supplied to the combustion device corresponding to
that required for the maximum power, for which the combustion en-
gine is designed.
Further features and advantages of the above-described
embodiments of the external combustion engine according to the
invention will be explained hereinafter with reference to the
drawings, in which by way of example some embodiments of the ex-
ternal combustion engine according to the invention are shown
- 10 schematically.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 shows a top view of the external combustion
engine;
Figure 2 shows a pv-diagram;
Figure 3 shows at an enlarged scale a cross-section
of an embodiment of the regulation device for regulating the
supply of the cooling medium;
Figure 4 shows schematically and at an enlarged scale
another embodiment of the regulation device for regulating the
intensity of the cooling.
The drawing shows an external combustion engine, where
the combustion of the fuel takes place in a separate combustion
gas supplying apparatus, which can be carried out in any known
way. Use is preferably made, however, of a combustion gas
supplying apparatus, which apparatus is divided by a partition
; wall into two chambers, air under pressure being supplied from
the cylinders to one of said two chambers and at least one burner
being provided in the partition wall in such a way, that the air
- from said one chamber which is carried out as a storage tank
30 may flow into the second one of said two chambers only through
the burner combination fuel takes place. The second chamber is
connected to the cylinders of the combustion engine, which is
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; provided in a known way with the usual valves.
In the combustion engine shown in Figure 1, air is let
into the cylinders 1 through scavenging ports 2 from a channel 3
which functions as an air storage channel, said air being brought
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to a relatively high filling pressure in a supercharger 4 with
which the aimed presupercharging is possible and which is driven
by the engine shaft ~, said supercharger 4 sucking and compres-
sing fresh air from the atmosphere. This supercharger is driven
by the exhaust gases, which stream through exhaust ports 6 and
a channel 7 to the supercharger 4. The channel 7 is so long that
the supercharger 4 can be placed at a distance of the combustion
engine, so that one singie supercharger is sufficient, which can
easier be coupled to the engine shaft ~ than superchargers, which
are connecced directly to the exhaust ports.
The channel 7 has such a large volume that the super- -
charger is not driven by the so-called "push"-or "impulse"-
system, but as far as necessary more according to a so-called
"equal pressure"-system.
A cooling installation 8, which cools the charging
air under nominally equal pressure, is provided in the charging -
channel 3 which is connected to the supercharger 4.
The regulation of the power of the combustion engines
takes place by regulating the fuel supply to the burner of the
combustion device 9, which for reasons of clarity is drawn
beside the combustion engine.
Each cylinder 1 is connected by a line 10, of which
only one is shown, to the combustion gas supplying apparatus.
Through these lines 10 of which only one is shown, the hot
compression air expelled from the cylinders streams to the
combustion gas supplying apparatus 9, in which the air is
received under approximately constant pressure prevailing in
the combustion gas supplying apparatus, so that it expands in
said combustion gas supplying apparatus and will have a greater
volume. In consequence of said expansion at each stroke of the
combustion engine a greater volume of air will be supplied to the
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burners ofthe gassupplying apparatusand agreater v~lumeas charged
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to the combustion engine than the volume of air which has been
expelled from the cylinders as compression volume.
Each cylinder 1 is therefore connected by a line 11,
of which also only one is shown, to the combustion gas supplying
apparatus 9. Through said lines, the combustion gases formed in
the combustion gas supply apparatus flow through valves lla to
the cylinders 1. These valves supply a certain charge (so-called
mechanical charge) to each of the cylinders. In the embodiment of
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the expansion engine shown, said valves are operated by cams 12
which are provided on a cam shaft 13 driven by the engine shaft.
The starting of the combustion engine can be done by means-
of compressed air from a storage reservoir or by a starting
motor. In the latter case, air is aspired from the atmosphere,
compressed and expelled to the combustion gas supplying appara-
tus. Assoon as there is a certain flow, the fuel supply to said
apparatus is opened and the fuel is ignited. After a few strokes
the desired pressure is reached in the combustion engine.
During the starting, the cooling installation 8 stays out
of operation until the pressure in the combustion supplying ap-
paratus has reached the desired set pressure. From th~ moment
: E on that the line of compression passes by the charge!~q-~ L
starting power is supplied under the influence of the ~6hi~4 rl ~In~
pressure (see the circ~its a, a' a", .. in Figure 2). In the
I meantime also the supercharging pressure rises, so that the circuit
of the combustion engine starts higher and higher in pressure,
as is shown by b, b', b" ... From the moment on that the pres-
sure is sufficiently great, the engine runs. At a light load,
~ the power is regulated according to the circuit c, c', c" in
¦ Figure 2.
From the moment on that the pressure set as maximum is
reached, the cooling installation 8 starts to work so that,
dependent on the power desired, the supercharging pressure
drops gradually with the temperature until, at maxomum power,
the supercharging temperature has reached the minimum set.
The power regulation, whkch always takes place by the regulation
of the fuel supply to the combustion gas supplying apparatus
expresses itself until that point in the diagram by the dis-
;placement of the compression line to the Y-axis according to
the lines d,d',d".....
In further explanation of Figure 2 it is observed,
that by the curve e the maximum charging volume of the diagram com-
; pared with a diesel-engine is indicated, whereas at the right
side of the line 1-1 the temporarily exceeding of the chzrging of
; the co~bustion of the engine is shown. The cylinder volume is
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; indicated by the line o-g, the volume of the supercharger by
,~ th e line o-h, and the maximum cooling by the line g-k.
The decrease of the supercharging pressure by cooling of
the charging air in the cooling installation takes place in
proportion with the increase of the power. This can be done
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mechanically by means of the regulation device shown in Figure
3 or electrically by means of the regulation device shown in
Figure 4.
The regulation device shown in Figure 3 therein for the
regulation of the cooling medium supplied to the cooling in:
stallation, consists of a casing 16, which is connected through
a line 17 to the interior of the co~bustion gas supplying ap-
paratus 9. In a cylindrical projection of this casing 16, a
slidable sealing plunger 15 is provided, which has at its
ends a cam 15', respectively 15". The plunger 15 has a plunger
rod 20 which is biassed by a pre-stretched spring 14. The plunger
rod 20 passes through a hole of a spring cup 18, on which the
free end of the spring 14 rests. The spring cup 18 is provided
in a stationary part 19 of the combustion engine. The end of
the plunger rod 20, which projects from the hole of the spring
cup 18, is connected by a rod 21, which is rotatable around '
a stationary pivot, to a valve 23 which is providèd in the
supply line 22 leading to the cooling installation. The
spring 14 is pre-stretched to such an extent,that it exerts
on the plunger a pressure, which equals a pressure prevailing
in the connection chamber, which equals the maximum working
pressure. As long as this pressure is not reached, the
spring 14 pushes the plunger 15 so far upwards, that the cam
or collar 15' lies against the casing 16. When the pressure
in the casing rises, the plunger moves downwards and compresses
the spring. The stroke of the plunger is limited by the cam
or collar 15" thereof, which then comes to lie against the
inner side of the casing 16. Because of the compression of
the spring 20 a difference of tension occurs, which, however,
is kept as small as possible.
When the pressure in the combustion gas supplying apparatus
rises, the downwards moving plunger,pushed aqainst the ~od 21,
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that the valve 23 rotates, so that the cooling medium, c.q. air
can stream through the supply line 22 to the cooling installation
8, in order to cool the filling air supplied by the supercharger.
- When the pressure in the combustion device drops, the plunger
moves upwards in the casing, so that the cooling is switched
off when the cam or collar 15' touches the outerside of the
casing .
A more accurate regulation of the pressure in the
combustlon gas supplying apparatus can be obtained with the electri
regulation shown in Figure 4. Here, the casing 16 is replaced
by a manometer 24, which is connected by a tube 31 with the
combustion device 9 and which is provided with contacts 26 and
27 placed in the current circuit of a servomotor 25, said contacts
being provided at some distance at both sides of the contact 28
of the manometer pointer. This distance between the contacts 26
and 27 on the one hand and the contact 28 on the other hand
serves to prevent that too small pressure oscillations, as a
result of the buffer action in the combustion gas supplying
apparatus 9, are reacted on.
When the pressure in the combustion gas supplying
apparatus has not yet reached its prescribed maximum during the
; starting of the combustion engine or at low power thereof, the
cooling installation 8 stays out of operation. The contact 28
of the manometer pointer comes in touch with contact 26, which
is connected in the current circuit of the servomotor 25 so
that the cooling installation decreases the cooling intensity
and at last is switched out of operation. When the pressure
in the combustion gas supplying apparatus becomes too high, the
contact 28 of the manometer comes into touch with the contact 27,
so that the cooling installation starts to work. If the pressure
remains hlgh, the cooling installation comes in operation and at
last fully in operation.
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It is observed that instead of the described mechanical
regulation device, also ot,her mechanical regulation devices
and instead of the described electric regulation device also other
electric regulation devices may be used.
. From the moment on that the cooling installation is
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in operation, when the cam or collar 15' lies against the outer
side of the casing 16, or when the contact 28 has entirely passed
by the contact 27, any extra fuel supply will cause a rise of
the temperature and of the pressure in the combustion supplying
apparatus, so that the combustion engine wi~1 supply extra power.
This extra power may serve as temporary increase of the normal
: maximum power of the combustion engine. In the combustion gas
supplying apparatus a thermostat may be provided, which is
connected in a regulation circuit of the fuel supply to said
combustion gas supplying apparatus, preventing the supply of more
fuel, to the combustion gas supply apparatus than is necessary
for reaching the maximum admissible power of the combustion
engine, for which the latter is designed, and the rise of the
temperature and of the pressure in the combustion gas supplying
apparatus can be prevented.
Another possibility to carry out the combustion engine
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in such a way that it can be overloaded, consists in that a
temporarily increase of the mechanical charge of the cylinders
-; of the combustion engine is provided. In the diagram of Figure 2,
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the charging line 1 is then temporarily displaced to the right,
i.e. further away from the Y-axis. This can be done, e.g. by
a regulation similar to that shown in Figure 4, which is actuated
by the working pressure in the combustion gas supplying apparatus
by connecting the contact 30 beside the contact 27 to the servo-
motor 25. After a small rise of the pressure, the contact 28
; of the manometer comes into touch with this contact 30, so that
the new regulation circuit come into operation, which, dependant
on the rise of the pressure in the combustion engine, increases
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the mechanical charging, e.g. by adjusting the camshaft 13, which
therefore must be adjustable in such a way, that a longer
charging time is reached.
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In a corresponding manner, a contact 29 connected to the
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servomotor can be provided in Figure 4 beside the contact 26, in
order to reduce the charging time of the cylinders via the
adjustable cams 12 when the pressure in the combustion supplying
apparatus is lower than the minimum pressure, for which the
combustion engine is designed. At low power, this is a means
to keep the pressure at such a level that the combustion engine
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itself has a high efficiency. In that case it is also possible
to use the supercharger only as a scavenging plump. The effi-
ciency of the combustion engine is then only dependent on the
functioning of the cyllnder.
A reduction of the charge, however, automatically increase
the compression ratio in the cylinders, so that a greater effi-
ciency is still obtained. In this case, however, the drop or
even total 1isappearance of the presupercharging pressure reduces
to much lcwer than normal the working pressure in the combustion
gas supplying apparatus. The above-descr~ibed regulationeevice
can then not be derived from the pressure in the combustion
gas supplying apparatus by the same mechanical regulation with
springs as before with the electric regulation according to Figure
4, this can be overcome by allowing enough space for the con-
tact point 30.
It is observed that the supercharger may e.g. consist of sn
extra pressure stage which is interposed with respect to the
compression and postponed with respect to the expansion, said
pressure stage being coupled with the shaft of the combustion
engine out of a fast turning piston engine coupled with this
shaft. It is also possible that it consists of a compression-
expansion engine coupled with the shaft, which compression-expan-
sion engine uses its energy surplus to compress the air to the
working pressure of the engine and to supply this extra air as
extra charge to the cylinder, in such a way, that this air can
serve to enable a high average effective piston pressure (interim
supercharging see British patent specification l 092 442). Instead
of a supercharger coupled with the shaft of the combustion engine,
a supercharger can be used, which consists of a turboset, which
is not coupled with the shaft of the combustion engine and which
(notwithstanding its supercharging function uses its energy sur-
plus to compress air to the working pressure of the combustion
nngine and to supply said extra air as extra air to the cylinders,
in such a waym that this air can serve to obtain, without a rlse
of temperature, an extra great charging of the cylinders, whereas,
as a result of not being coupled with the shaft of the combustion
engine, the regulation may be such, that the supercharger cuntions
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with a constant speed and supplies the necessary pre- and interim
supercharging air in ratio to the speed of the combustion engine
by means of charging a variable number of the provided blade
wheels in such a way that the compression wheels are inserted
or short-circuit dependent on the number of wheels which are
filled for combustion in ratio to the present exhaust gas of the
expansion engine, through a derived regulation.
The regulation of the increase of the mechanical charging
is only useful at maximum cooling of the supercharging air, be-
cause otherwise the working temperature becomes too high, and
is futher also only useful in view of extra loading the engine,
because normal load the working pressure and thus the efficiency
becomes thereby too low. So, this regulation must connect to
the point where the cooling is fully in operation. When never-
theless extra fuel is supplied, the working pressure tends to
rise. In addition to the mechanism which regulates the cooling,
a mechanism can be provided which starts to function at a fur-
ther tendency of the pressure to rise, and which increases or
reduces again the mechanical charging and brings it back to the
original level before the cooling is reduced.
The regulation device for reducing the mechanical charging
can be connected to the device for the regulation of the super-
charging cooling, as well as to that for increasing the charging,
but arranged only to start to function when the working pressure
tends to drop, after the cooling has been entirely switched off.
As well as a regulation operated as a function of the pres-
sure in the combustion gas supplying apparatus, it is also possible
to operate the regulation as a function of the temperature in the
combustion supplying apparatus. Just as the working pressure re-
mains constant during the operation of these regulations, apart
from the one without reduction of the mechanical charging also
the combustion temperature remains the same (favourable for the
purity of the combustion) and thls also applies to the case in
which the mechanical charging is variable.
It is obvious, that the invention is not restricted to the
embodiments as described above and as shown in the drawing, but~
that numerous modifications are possible within the scope of the
lnvention defined in the claims.
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